Amadeus adjusted his stance, sweat dripping as he sparred with the knight Memory.
Amadeus.
" That final attack… you called it a Weapon Art ".
The knight Memory, his voice calm and steady.
"Weapon Arts are what distinguish one swordsman from another."
" To master a weapon is only a step. The true end lies in learning an Art."
Amadeus exhaled sharply.
" You must know dozens of them. Why not just teach me? "
The knight Memory shook his head.
"As I said, mastery is the path to reach the Arts."
" With your current sword mastery… learning them is impossible."
Amadeus frowned.
" Then how am I supposed to defeat him? "
The knight Memory.
"With luck."
Amadeus froze.
"You're joking, right? "
The knight Memory.
"You have endless chances. Eventually, one will succeed."
"All you must do is dodge the Art attack—at least once."
At that moment, a glowing panel appeared before Amadeus' eyes.
[ Sword Mastery Lv. 4 --) Lv. 5 ]
The knight Memory crossed his arms.
"That is all you could get from you currant stats."
" This is your limit… for now."
Before Amadeus could argue he was kicked from the Memory domain because Xera appeared, as arrogant as ever.
Amadeus muttered in irritation.
" I'm already getting bored of this."
Once again, he clashed with Xera, only to fall at the same point. The same fatal Art attack, the same merciless end.
[ You Failed ]
[ Rewriting Chapter 1 ]
Back at the Camp
The knight Memory shifted into a stance identical to Xera's.
"Now, let us test your luck."
[ Violet Sword – Piercing Blade ]
His sword lunged forward like lightning.
Amadeus tried to evade, but the thrust tore through his guard and blasted him backward.
Amadeus.
" My skill… it didn't activate ".
The knight Memory.
"Of course not "
"It only triggers when the blow is going to kill you."
" But Against me, you must dodge with your own strength."
Amadeus stared at him.
" But how can you use that move? "
The knight Memory.
"I was a Master Swordsman—the strongest of my world."
" Replicating a weak Art such as this, is nothing."
Amadeus.
" Weak Art…? Just how strong were you? "
The knight Memory.
"Enough wasting time. Get up."
The training became torture. Again and again, Amadeus was thrown aside, beaten back by the same Art attack.
His body screamed, his breathing ragged.
The knight Memory finally said.
"It seems dodging outright is impossible,"
"Then try diverting it."
Again and again Amadeus tried.
His sword was knocked away, or the thrust tore through without deviation.
Yet persistence paid off—by a miracle, he managed to redirect it by mere inches.
Memory lowered his blade.
Amadeus.
"Why stop? Let's keep going."
The knight Memory.
"We've reached the limit of what you can achieve."
" Now… I'll tell you the only path you have to victory against that man.
" Listen well."
Time passed.
The battlefield echoed with screams as Amadeus cut down every guard.
When Xera descended, Amadeus stood waiting, calm eyes fixed on him.
he said coldly.
"Xera, This time, I will defeat you."
Xera's brows furrowed.
" This time?"
Have we met before? its irrelevant. dead man words mean nothing.
Their swords met. Unlike before, Amadeus didn't falter.
He matched Xera blow for blow, his calm demeanor unnerving the arrogant warrior.
Steel screeched.
Amadeus slashed Xera's chest, drawing blood.
Xera's expression hardened as he fell back into stance.
Amadeus' thoughts sharpened.
Just as I planned. Everything ends in this moment.
[ Violet Sword – Piercing Blade ]
Xera lunged, his thrust carrying the shockwave of his Art.
Amadeus didn't flinch.
Using every ounce of his Lv. 5 mastery, every attempt he had endured under The knight Memory's brutal training, Omega Skill, Signal of death.
All worked together for a this moment.
The attack was diverted slightly—yet the cost was immense.
His blade shattered, his arm was torn off, half his torso blown apart.
Still, he smiled.
Xera thought in shock, as he looked at Amadeus.
Why… why is he smiling?
Amadeus grabbed the broken Sword mid air, And before Xera could react,he severed his hand.
Xera hissed in pain, biting his lip to maintain composure.
He switched his sword to his off-hand and struck back, but Amadeus was already moving—dodging effortlessly, hurling the shattered blade's tip into Xera's leg.
Xera panicking, thought.
This is bad. I have to end it now!
Once more, he unleashed his Art.
Amadeus moved.
This time, he slipped through the strike entirely, letting it pass through the empty space where half his torso was.
His broken sword gleamed at Xera's throat.
Amadeus looking down at Xera, said.
"My win."
Steel carved flesh.
Xera dropped his blade. Blood gushed as he fell to his knees, disbelief written across his face.
Amadeus said coldly.
"You lost to arrogance,"
"Your Art depended on strength from your legs and dominant arm.
" With both crippled, it was doomed to fail. And yet—you still trusted it."
Xera coughing blood, said.
" it ...was supposed to be .....simple "
" take.. the quarry and ....prove yourself to him "
" prove that.... your not as... useless as they.... claimed "
As life drained from him, memories surged.
Training grounds. Laughter, mockery—everyone sneered at him for knowing only one Art
Everyone, except one.
One man had encouraged him.
Tears welled in Xera's eyes.
He whispered to the blade in his trembling hand.
"Brother… forgive me."
" I.... failed you."
And with that, he collapsed, lifeless.
[ You killed an Extreme Human ]
[ Reward: 50 Essence ]
Amadeus staggered, barely conscious.
Finally… I defeated him.
He drank potion after potion, gulping them desperately.
I can't die yet.
Not until I spend this Essence. If I fall before that, I lose it all.
Amadeus spent his Essence.
His body glowed as stats rose.
[ HP Lv. 17 → 27 ]
[ STM Lv. 17 → 27 ]
[ STR Lv. 22 → 37 ]
[ AGI Lv. 21 → 36 ]
Then the panel shifted again.
[ SIGN: Undying ]
[ Stage 1 Trait: Survivor ]
[ HP Lv. 27 → 40 ]
[ STM Lv. 27 → 35 ]
[ STR Lv. 37 → 55 ]
[ AGI Lv. 36 → 50 ]
Amadeus blinked in disbelief.
"Why such a jump this time? "
Crown floated near, inspecting curiously.
"Weird… it's as if the system counted your entire struggle against him as if you battled him more then once."
So every death… every failure in a single battle… stacked into one survival.
Lucky me.
Amadeus turned to his foe's remains.
His broken weapon would reset upon rewrite, but Xera's blade glimmered with promise.
[ Xera's Sword ]
[ Rarity: Rare ]
/A beautiful sword crafted with care. A gift from an older brother to his younger sibling.
Amadeus muttered, remembering Xera's final words.
"…Big brother?"
Forgiveness, huh… That's a problem for later.
Next, he claimed the armor.
[ Xera's Armor ]
[ Rarity: Rare ]
/Commissioned from the Violet Capital's finest smith, forged to reflect his pride.
Amadeus.
"Perfect. Both are better than what I had."
Exhaustion overtook him, and as the stars blurred above, he let his body fall.
" I did it, finally i killed him "
[ You Failed ]
[ Rewriting Chapter 1 ]
Back to the Camp
Amadeus awoke once more at the campfire.
Without hesitation, he equipped Xera's sword and armor.
The straight blade gleamed with the Violet Family's emblem, the same sigil embroidered on the messenger's cloak.
The black armor fit him perfectly, etched with cool engravings.
Amadeus grinned.
I feel powerful.
A cough interrupted him.
Turning, he saw Crown floating, his gaze sharp.
"I've been waiting quietly for you to explain,"
Crown said, his voice edged.
"But it seems you think I'm a fool."
" Don't forget—half of me is O Crown."
"Now then, Amadeus… shall we have a talk?"
Amadeus sighed, raising the rare sword.
I just finished with Xera… and now, I have to deal with Crown.
To be continued.